Tis the season for dissertation proposals!! I'm sure many of you are preparing to start another riveting semester of graduate work and another semester with edge-of-your seat deadlines – the stuff epic motion pictures are made of!!!
We've all been there. You had plenty of time. You researched and you put off the hard stuff. Now you are facing crunch time. You know who you are… Now you have to hand in the proposal and need help. Maybe you have a couple weeks or maybe you have a couple days. What are you going to do? Read on my friend, read on. Today's post may just save you thousands of dollars and a few years of your life lost from stress.
Statistics for your Dissertation Proposal or Thesis Proposal
Among other things, I am betting you are most concerned about the appropriate statistics for your dissertation or thesis. I have covered this in another blog. Check it out here. In the meantime, I have some recommendations for the graduate student pursuing their thesis or dissertation and working on their proposal.
Know What you Need to Know
Different statistical tests measure different things, so it's important to know what you are trying to find. Are you looking for a relationship or are you looking for differences? Do you need to establish some predictability or are you just seeking to describe something? This will have a direct impact on the type of statistical tests you choose for your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal. There are words associated with certain statistical tests, e.g., "to find a relationship between X and Y is associated with correlation language. Click here for help determining the type of statistical tests to use with your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal.
Know how the Statistics in your Dissertation are Supposed to be Used
This is similar to the one above but I thought I would include it. A pretty good percentage of our clients have had their dissertation or thesis proposal approved and are now beginning to work on their results section. The problem is they aren't really sure how the tests they proposed are supposed to be used. You might think that since the proposal has been approved by experts, that they would have ensured that the statistical analysis you proposed for your dissertation or thesis is correct. Don't be fooled!
Many, many clients have sent us their approved proposal, listing the statistical analysis to be conducted and the variables to be tested, only to find out that the statistical test they proposed cannot be used with their type of variables. This is embarrassing and time-consuming, but can be avoided with a little due diligence. Click here for help determining how to use statistical tests with your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal.
Know the Types of Variables
There aren't very many types of variables. Take an evening if you have to and become familiar with the different types of variables used in statistical analysis. There are only a few and it will make all the difference in the world when you are choosing the statistical tests for your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal. Some statistical tests are only for continuous variables and some statistical tests are only for nominal variables. Some tests can use both if they are entered a particular way. It will pay to familiarize yourself with these types, before you write your survey questions and propose your analysis. If you are keeping these variable types in mind as you are constructing the survey for your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal, it will make choosing the statistical analysis much easier later on. For help with the types of variables included in your graduate thesis or Ph.D. click here.
Know the Assumptions of the Statistical Tests
Each statistical test used in your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal comes complete with assumptions, to make sure the test accurately measures what it is intended to measure. There's a pretty good chance that the assumptions of the statistical tests you choose to use for your dissertation proposal or thesis proposal won't be met, unless you're gathering a lot of observations.While you won't know for sure if the assumptions of the statistical tests have been met until after you have the data, you can get a pretty good idea without having the data.
For instance, maybe you are proposing looking for differences on GPA between those receiving free/reduced lunch and those not receiving free/reduced lunch. If you are researching poor, inner-city schools, you know there is probably going to be a disproportionate number of free/reduced lunch recipients. It's also possible that there will be a disproportionate number of failing schools. For two of the tests that could be used to analyze this difference, the independent samples t-test and the analysis of variance (ANOVA), there is the assumption that the groups are approximately equal in their standard deviations. We know this isn't the case a may instead propose a non-parametric equivalent. Click here for help with the assumptions of the statistical analysis being used in your Master's thesis, Master's dissertation, Ph.D. thesis, or Ph.D. dissertation.
I hope this helps some. I invite you to click here and schedule an appointment to speak with us about helping your with your Master's thesis, Master's dissertation, Ph.D. thesis, or Ph.D. dissertation. I've helped thousands upon thousands of graduate students over the last 16 years and can help you.
